Starting with the premise that clothing is political and that analysing
clothing can enhance understanding of political style, this collection
explores the relationships among political theory, dress, and
self-presentation during a period in which imperial and colonial empires
assumed their modern form. Organised under three thematic clusters, the
volumeâ (TM)s chapters range from an analysis of the uniforms worn by
West India regiments stationed in the Caribbean to the smock frock
donned by rural agricultural labourers, and from the self-presentations
of members of parliament, political thinkers, and imperial
administrators to the dress of characters and caricatures in novels,
paintings, and political cartoon. With its interdisciplinary approach,
the book will appeal to nineteenth-century cultural and social
historians and literary critics as well as advanced undergraduate and
postgraduate students whose research and teaching interests include
gender, politics, material culture, and imperialism.